‘This literary campaign must go round’

‘This literary campaign must go round’

Posted By: Edozie Udeze On: April 22, 2018 In: Arts & Life, Sunday magazine

In this encounter with Edozie Udeze, Mallam Denja Abdullahi, the President of Association of Nigerian Authors throws more light on the grants that have helped to extend the frontiers of Yusuf Ali literary campaigns to the grassroots

How has this grant endured?

The ANA/Yusuf Ali literary awareness campaign has endured because the funding has been constant and comes at a predictable time every year. That enables us to plan ahead each year and gives us room to innovate and create a sustainable pattern across the country. The literary philanthropy of Yusuf Ali met a robust structure of ANA on ground which covers the whole of Nigeria. It is therefore possible to create impact at the same time with the project across the country. The project has also introduced healthy competition among our chapters across the country as they overreach themselves to do better each year. The monitoring process that we have introduced along the line has also contributed to the project sustainability.

What year did it start?

The ANA/ Yusuf Ali literary awareness campaign actually started in 2012 when I was Vice President of ANA. There was nothing as sustainable as that in the history of ANA  except for our annual convention which we are often not too sure of each year as we fish around for funds to host it unlike the ANA/ Yusuf Ali literary awareness campaign with sure funding. The campaign has impacted positively in the area of mentoring the young and school going populace by encouraging them to read and write. We cover nothing less than five thousand students in 100 schools across the country each year in the course of executing the campaign . At the beginning the focus was on secondary schools for some years, then we had focused  workshop for universities students and we later moved to focusing on tertiary institutions, then into the  publication of children titles which we have used to drive another by-project called A-Book-A-Child nationwide project. From all these activities including what we are using the fund for this year( capacity building workshop on innovations in contemporary literary awareness campaign and media awareness) you could see that the ANA/ Yusuf Ali literary awareness campaign has been very impactful nationwide.

How did you arrive at the projects to embark upon with the money?

The brainstorming to get new things to do with the grant each year ad-infinitum is what we are gathering to do in the capacity building workshop. For ANA chapter chairmen we will be having in Ilorin later this April 2018.Mind you, we do not just receive the grant from Yusuf Ali and go to sleep. Our chapters do provide matching grant to whatever they receive as sub-grant from the Yusuf Ali main grant. Yusuf Ali gives us N3million each year which is not small at all considering the regular brick wall you meet whenever you try to raise funds from governments and other corporate bodies. By the time you add or cost what our chapters raise to do their bits with the seed sub-grant received, the total money spent each year may translate to about N10 million naira or more. But without the initial  grant from Yusuf Ali, the build up would not have been possible.

So the grants have prospered the association?

From the success of the Yusuf Ali grant to ANA, we have seen how helpful regular grant can go a long way to stabilize an association like ANA and make it very functional and accountable.  And that is why we are all clamouring for the institution of an endowment fund for the arts in Nigeria. The Western world is  wizened already on the importance of  regular and sustained funding for the arts by governments, individuals and public and private institutions. Governments in the third world countries like Nigeria go about as if they do not owe the arts anything. The  arts, literature and culture of a country  will eventually go  extinct if the  government of a particular country thinks they do not need special attention and dedicated intervention. Come to think of it, some of the best features of our cultural heritage and creativity are being kept alive by foreign grants and foreign funding facilitated by  those who know the importance of heritage sustainability. I always say the arts always have a way of making indelible the contributions of those who support it. Our use of the Yusuf Ali grant over the years has shown that you can do a lot in the arts with a gift sincerely given and the reward to the giver will definitely be more than whatever is given.Many Yusuf Alis are not there today because people are afraid of poverty and they are ignorant of where they can leave their indelible memories for generations unborn. Most people with money in Nigeria hoard it for  their immediate families or fritter it away on mundane things that will turn to dust within a generation following their demise.The kind of Yusuf Ali is rare in our clime as not many  persons are  as  astute and intelligent like him to know that life is ephemeral and that what endures are the selfless pursuits you engage in. The corporate bodies are not different, they are forever in search of profit without thinking of responsibility to their communities. They commit huge funds to beauty pageants and Ajasco  dance shows on the streets but avoid the theatre, film, literature and the likes because of their short-sighted thinking that nothing will be gained in return.

http://thenationonlineng.net/this-literary-campaign-must-go-round/

Writers celebrate seven years of rare literary grant

Writers celebrate seven years of rare literary grant

— 14th April 2018 

Henry Akubuiro, Lagos

Perhaps more than any other group in the last three decades, the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), has contributed to the promotion of reading and discovery of new literary talents in Nigeria. Founded in 1981 by the legendary novelist, Chinua Achebe, the association has through, its routine creative writing workshops, award of prizes, annual conferences, reading campaigns and partnerships with institutions set the tone for the flowery of literature in the country, which has enhanced Nigeria’s reputation as the power house of African literature.

A recent ANA Yusuf Ali Workshop by the Zamfara State chapter

Needless to say, all over the world, creative writing has become a big enterprise, with creative writers gaining more recognition by the day. Thus, to be a writer in the 21^st century is something of prestige. To this end, ANA went into a partnership with Yusuf Ali (SAN) in 2011, resulting in the later funding the 1^st ANA/Yusuf Ali Literary Awareness Campaign in 2012. Since then, the renowned lawyer, who is also an author, has doled out 21 million naira to sustain the project.

“It has endured, because the funding has been constant and comes at a predictable time every year. That enables us to plan ahead each year, and gives us room to innovate and create a sustainable pattern across the country,” said ANA President, Mallam Denja Abdullahi in an interview with Daily Sun.

Indeed, the literary philanthropy of Yusuf Ali met a robust structure of ANA on ground, an association with chapters nationwide, making it possible to create immediate impact. Also, the project has introduced healthy competition among the association’s chapters, as they strive to do better each year. “The monitoring process that we have introduced along the line has also contributed to the project sustainability,” Mallam Abdullahi added.

One of the remarkable things the campaign has done is in the area of mentoring the young and students by encouraging them to read and write. “We cover nothing less than 5,000 thousand students in 100 schools across the country each year in the course of executing the campaign,” he said.

At the beginning, the focus was on secondary schools, then organising workshops for universities students and, later, the publication of three works of juvenilia, which it used to drive its novel initiative, A-Book-A-Child nationwide project. “From all these activities, including what we are using the fund for this year –capacity building workshop on innovations in contemporary literary awareness campaign and media awareness –you could see that the ANA/ Yusuf Ali Literary Awareness Campaign has been very impactful nationwide,” said the president of the association.

Last year, the children books of Ngozi Obi Obasi (The Loyal Queen), Salamatu Sule (Oma the Drummer Queen) and Kabiru Abdullahi (The Golden Girl of Galma) were published with the annual grant. ANA President admitted that these “publications added a touch of tangibility to the generously of Yusuf Ali to ANA since 2012, as it is written on the books that the funds for the publication were provided by him. Books travel, and you can never tell the persons that will get to read them.”

From Thursday April, 21, 2018, the leadership of the association at the national and state levels will converging on Ilorin, Kwara State capital, for three days, to brainstorm on how to create new things to do with subsequent grants in a capacity building workshop, as the benefactor has promised to sponsor it for life.

To make the literary awareness campaign more robust, each benefitting ANA chapter usually raises internal funds to complement the Yusuf Ali grant. Thus, the total money spent each year might translate to about 10 million naira or more. “But without the initial 3 million naira grant from Yusuf Ali, the buildup would not have been possible,” he conceded.

It cannot be gainsaid that patrons of arts are hard to come by in this part of the world, especially when there is no win-win bargain involved. This is what makes Yusuf Ali (SAN) an exceptional patron of arts. Mallam Adbullahi acknowledged hence, “From the success of the Yusuf Ali grant to ANA, we have seen how helpful regular grant can go a long way to stabilise an association like ANA, and make it very functional and accountable.

“That is why we are all clamouring for the institution of an endowment fund for the arts in Nigeria. The Western world is aware already of the importance of regular and sustained funding for the arts by governments, individuals and public and private institutions. Governments in the third world countries, like Nigeria, go about as if they do not owe the arts anything. The arts, literature and culture of a country will eventually go extinct if the government of a particular country thinks they do not need special attention and dedicated intervention.

“Some of the best features of our cultural heritage and creativity are being kept alive by foreign grants and foreign funding facilitated by those who know the importance of heritage sustainability. I always say the arts always have a way of making indelible the contributions of those who support it. Our use of the Yusuf Ali grant, over the years, has shown that you can do a lot in the arts with a gift sincerely given, and the reward to the giver will definitely be more than whatever is given.

“The kind of Yusuf Ali is rare in our clime as not many persons are as astute and intelligent as him to know that life is ephemeral and that what endures are the selfless pursuits you engage in. The corporate bodies are not different: they are forever in search of profit without thinking of responsibility to their communities. They commit huge funds to beauty pageants and Ajasco dance shows on the streets, but avoid the theatre, film, literature and the likes, because of their short-sighted thinking that nothing will be gained in return.”

Mallam Abdullahi isn’t the only one extoling the philanthropy and foresight of the Ilorin-based SAN. Beneficiaries of the grant at the state level are also over the moon. Charles Iornumbe has chaired the Benue State chapter of the association since 2016. He told Daily Sun, “I recall that, out of the seven years of the annual grant, ANA Benue has received thrice.” In 2016, the chapter marched it with the financial support it solicited for from the state government, other bodies, as well as individuals. It, hence, launched the awareness campaign at the Akawe Torkula College of Advanced and Professional Studies, Makurdi, because the focus of that year was on tertiary Students.

It subsequently took the campaign to the nook and crannies of Benue State, visiting College of Education, Oju Gboko College of Education, Gboko; College of Education, Katsina Ala; and Benue State University, Makurdi.

“In all the schools, we read literary books and presented same as gifts to students who could answer our questions correctly,” he told Daily Sun, adding that three months after the Makurdi convention, the chapter commenced the A-Book-A-Child project with the launch at Lady Victoria Academy, Makurdi. “Yusuf Ali campaign has been sustainable, dependable, realistic, and more result oriented,” he echoed.

Richard Inya chairs the Ebonyi State chapter of ANA. He affirmed on the uniqueness of the ANA Yusuf Ali Literary Awareness Campaign, “The first thing that comes to mind is its sense of consistency. The degree of literary awareness in our branch is now high. People, especially the youths, are becoming more and more aware literarily. There are book clubs and literary societies, some of which are founded by young people for the purpose of meeting their literary ends.

“On our part, there have been vigorous awareness campaigns at various schools in the branch, which feature talks, quiz and book donations. We reveal to the students and pupils what lies behind the doors of creativity and healthy reading culture; we show them individuals who attained greatness and global reckoning through creativity; give them tips on how to reach such enviable heights, positing reading as the bedrock.”

“In 2016, we partnered Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (FUNAI), to organise a programme that attracted students from all the tertiary institutions in the branch, courtesy of this grant. We now have chapters in different higher institutions and secondary schools in the state. Thus, it cannot be gainsaid that the Yusuf Ali Literary Awareness grant has been of immense value in fostering literary growth in our branch.”

The story isn’t different in Rivers State, where Uzoh Nwamara, superintends the state chapter. He told Daily Sun that the campaign was geared towards making students aware of the importance of reading not only literary works and their academic works, but also other materials to live a balanced and well-informed lives, thus, helping in galvanising the interest of both members and the academic community in literacy issues.

“Yusuf Ali is a man that appreciates the fact that art is patronised for it to flourish. He has exhibited a prolonged commitment to his vision aimed at rolling back the blanket of ignorance covering our citizens. He understands that an enlightened citizenry will ultimately transform into a better society. He is a living challenge to other blessed Nigerians to take up a similar challenge and impact the society positively,” he said.

For Kabiru Andullahi, ANA Chairman, Bauchi, “I know not of any literary awareness campaign feat after NLNG and Yusuf Ali literary readings that has been enormously impactful, in my abiding literary interest.” And from Gombe State came a testament from Usman Nurain, ‘I’ll call Yusuf Ali a true patron of arts.” Surely, Nigerian writers are waiting for who will emulate this feat.

Stakeholders reappraise Ebonyi’s literary awareness level In this piece, VICTOR NZE examines the level of literary awareness in Ebonyi State from the era when it carried the ‘educationally disadvantaged state’ tag to the present most appreciable level and examines the role played by stakeholders in achieving this feat. Excerpts: In August 2015, the Ebonyi State government moved to rescue the state’s downward spiraling education sector by setting up and inaugurating a committee to prepare a working plan for making the learning convenient for students in the state. The decision followed the presentation of a preliminary report on the state of public schools in the state by a consultant, hired by the State’s Universal Basic Education Board (UBE) to the state Executive Council at the Government House in Abakaliki. The committee headed by Rev. Father Abraham Nwali submitted its report two months later. Years down the line, Ebonyi can recorded a huge improvement from its previous ‘educationally disadvantaged state’ status to one with relatively outstanding results in the recent times. Many thanks to commitment from both the private and public sectors, the state has steadily climbed the ladder of literary awareness such that it has become a reference point in educational growth. Even at the national level, the state has become a choice destination for test-running of educational projects and programmes geared towards improving the lot of students or literary awareness as a whole. “The degree of literary awareness in Ebonyi State is presently high. People, especially the youths are becoming more and more aware. There are book clubs and literary societies, some of which are founded by young people for the purpose of meeting their literary ends. “On our part, there have been vigorous awareness campaigns at various schools in the state, which feature talks, quiz and book donations. We reveal to the students what lies behind the doors of creativity and healthy reading culture; we show them individuals who attained greatness and global reckoning through creativity; give them tips on how to reach such enviable heights, making reading the bedrock. “In all, we follow a strategic option we named Bring Back the Book. It is aimed at increasing awareness in the area of healthy reading culture and literary awareness. In doing this, we now have chapters in different higher institutions and secondary schools in the state. “As a matter of course, members of the chapters are members of our branch. We have also perfected plans to explore the use of the electronic media for our membership drive. This we are to do in line with radio and TV programmes we are already straightening out. “However, our social media handles have been of immense value in this regard. Hardly our meeting ends without an individual coming to join courtesy of the social media,” enthused Mr Richard Inya, present chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). Observers believe the upward trajectory of literary awareness in the state is to some extent attributable to efforts at the government level geared towards correcting the previously feared school drop-out syndrome which ravaged the state and prevented it competing at the regional let alone national levels of academic performance. Immediate past chairman of ANA in the state, For Elder Matthew Odono, who would prefer to rate the state’s level of literary awareness at a moderate ‘average’, says, however, that his organization has put in a lot to ensure the state reaches where it is today. “In the state, the association has done quite a lot in this regard. Aside from its monthly readings where works by members are read and critiqued, the association has embarked on “Bring Back the Book Campaign” to some post primary schools in the state. “During the exercise, books worth several thousands of naira donated by ANA/Yusuf Ali Literary Awareness Campaign Projects were read and distributed to students. Books authored by members or sourced by members from the market considered valuable to inspire the students to develop interest in reading and creative writing were also added to promote the exercise. “The association has also introduced “teen authorship” programme to some post primary schools in the state and is at present mentoring students of Holy Ghost Secondary School Abakaliki Literary Club to ensure that they come up with quality creative outputs. It is pertinent to add that a cash prize of N 5,000 each was placed for the best students in poetry, prose and drama respectively by the association. “Also the King Agwu Ude poetry Award of N 50, 000 for secondary School students sponsored Elder Matthew Odono is on in the State now. In 2016, the Chapter in collaboration with the Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State organised Yusuf Ali (SAN) Literary Awareness Campaign with the theme “creativity and success in life” for students of tertiary Institutions in Ebonyi State. “The programme was held at the FUNAI Auditorium. I am glad to inform you that virtually all the tertiary institutions in the state participated in the workshop. I will also be right to state that literary activities in all the literary groups of these institutions are going on as directed. FUNAI crew and Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu Literary Club, Ivo council are doing very well. “The understanding and cooperation of the Vice Chancellor of FUNAI, Prof Chinwuba in driving literary activities in the state need special commendation. Himself, a literary activist, readily avails us a helping hand in our drive to discover and mentor budding creative writers in the state. This explains why the national body is planning an international creative writers’ submit to be held in the University by July this year,” said Odono. Incidentally, Ebonyi State will also provide a veritable platform for this year’s Yusuf Ali (SAN) Literary Awareness Campaign. “It must be stated without fear of contradiction that no project, policy or programme in this nation in the dimension of improving the reading culture or increasing literary awareness can be compared with the Yusuf Ali nationwide literary awareness campaign. “Its consistency is astute; its gains are high, and its vision, clear. The project has a very high capacity for sustaining the level of literary awareness in the state. We have benefitted twice, and on each of the occasions embarked on activities that opened avenues for our people to realize what lies ahead and how to be part of it,” said Inya. For Odono, the state stands to benefit ‘to a very large extent,’ even as he pleaded for more support from government to fully realize the goals of the campaign. “If a single person, Yusuf Ali could provide N3m to the association annually, imagine where the Federal, State and Local Governments can provide N50m, N20 and N2m respectively for the association activities, without politising it. “I bet you, a lot of transformation will be achieved in the reading, writing and behavioural lives of the people. Wealthy individuals too, especially serving political leaders can come up to assist in this area. “They can call it their constituency project, raise fund for ANA to mentor budding artists, give cash prizes to people that excel and so on. This is preferable to drugging the youths and giving them guns to cause mayhem in the society. “In our state, Distinguished Senator Chris Nwankwo funded the organisation of training for aspiring creative writers, though not through ANA. The beneficiaries of that training are doing marvellously well in the creative industry today. We need more like him,” he said. Inya corroborated Odono’s position in wooing the public sector towards the project. “It must be stated without fear of contradiction that no project, policy or programme in this nation in the dimension of improving the reading culture or increasing literary awareness can be compared with the Yusuf Ali nationwide literary awareness campaign. “Its consistency is astute; its gains are high, and its vision, clear. The project has a very high capacity for sustaining the level of literary awareness in the state. We have benefitted twice, and on each of the occasions embarked on activities that opened avenues for our people to realize what lies ahead and how to be part of it. “It cannot be gainsaid that a project of this standing needs partnership with the government of the benefitting states to further take it down to rural areas. We have put plans in place to partner the government of our state in this direction. We as well seek to identify individuals, groups, corporate bodies and organisations that share the ideals and aspirations of the association for the project,” Inya said. http://oraclenews.ng/stakeholders-reappraise-ebonyis-literary-awareness-level/

Stakeholders reappraise Ebonyi’s literary awareness level 

In this piece, VICTOR NZE examines the level of literary awareness in Ebonyi State from the era when it carried the ‘educationally disadvantaged state’ tag to the present most appreciable level and examines the role played by stakeholders in achieving this feat. Excerpts:

In August 2015, the Ebonyi State government moved to rescue the state’s downward spiraling education sector by setting up and inaugurating a committee to prepare a working plan for making the learning convenient for students in the state.

The decision followed the presentation of a preliminary report on the state of public schools in the state by a consultant, hired by the State’s Universal Basic Education Board (UBE) to the state Executive Council at the Government House in Abakaliki.

The committee headed by Rev. Father Abraham Nwali submitted its report two months later.

Years down the line, Ebonyi can recorded a huge improvement from its previous ‘educationally disadvantaged state’ status to one with relatively outstanding results in the recent times.

Many thanks to commitment from both the private and public sectors, the state has steadily climbed the ladder of literary awareness such that it has become a reference point in educational growth.

Even at the national level, the state has become a choice destination for test-running of educational projects and programmes geared towards improving the lot of students or literary awareness as a whole.

“The degree of literary awareness in Ebonyi State is presently high. People, especially the youths are becoming more and more aware. There are book clubs and literary societies, some of which are founded by young people for the purpose of meeting their literary ends.

“On our part, there have been vigorous awareness campaigns at various schools in the state, which feature talks, quiz and book donations. We reveal to the students what lies behind the doors of creativity and healthy reading culture; we show them individuals who attained greatness and global reckoning through creativity; give them tips on how to reach such enviable heights, making reading the bedrock.

“In all, we follow a strategic option we named Bring Back the Book. It is aimed at increasing awareness in the area of healthy reading culture and literary awareness. In doing this, we now have chapters in different higher institutions and secondary schools in the state.

“As a matter of course, members of the chapters are members of our branch. We have also perfected plans to explore the use of the electronic media for our membership drive. This we are to do in line with radio and TV programmes we are already straightening out.

“However, our social media handles have been of immense value in this regard. Hardly our meeting ends without an individual coming to join courtesy of the social media,” enthused Mr Richard Inya, present chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).

Observers believe the upward trajectory of literary awareness in the state is to some extent attributable to efforts at the government level geared towards correcting the previously feared school drop-out syndrome which ravaged the state and prevented it competing at the regional let alone national levels of academic performance.

Immediate past chairman of ANA in the state, For Elder Matthew Odono, who would prefer to rate the state’s level of literary awareness at a moderate ‘average’, says, however, that his organization has put in a lot to ensure the state reaches where it is today.

“In the state, the association has done quite a lot in this regard. Aside from its monthly readings where works by members are read and critiqued, the association has embarked on “Bring Back the Book Campaign” to some post primary schools in the state.

“During the exercise, books worth several thousands of naira donated by ANA/Yusuf Ali Literary Awareness Campaign Projects were read and distributed to students. Books authored by members or sourced by members from the market considered valuable to inspire the students to develop interest in reading and creative writing were also added to promote the exercise.

“The association has also introduced “teen authorship” programme to some post primary schools in the state and is at present mentoring students of Holy Ghost Secondary School Abakaliki Literary Club to ensure that they come up with quality creative outputs. It is pertinent to add that a cash prize of N 5,000 each was placed for the best students in poetry, prose and drama respectively by the association.

“Also the King Agwu Ude poetry Award of N 50, 000 for secondary School students sponsored Elder Matthew Odono is on in the State now. In 2016, the Chapter in collaboration with the Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State organised Yusuf Ali (SAN) Literary Awareness Campaign with the theme “creativity and success in life” for students of tertiary Institutions in Ebonyi State.

“The programme was held at the FUNAI Auditorium. I am glad to inform you that virtually all the tertiary institutions in the state participated in the workshop. I will also be right to state that literary activities in all the literary groups of these institutions are going on as directed. FUNAI crew and Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu Literary Club, Ivo council are doing very well.

“The understanding and cooperation of the Vice Chancellor of FUNAI, Prof Chinwuba in driving literary activities in the state need special commendation. Himself, a literary activist, readily avails us a helping hand in our drive to discover and mentor budding creative writers in the state. This explains why the national body is planning an international creative writers’ submit to be held in the University by July this year,” said Odono.

Incidentally, Ebonyi State will also provide a veritable platform for this year’s Yusuf Ali (SAN) Literary Awareness Campaign.

“It must be stated without fear of contradiction that no project, policy or programme in this nation in the dimension of improving the reading culture or increasing literary awareness can be compared with the Yusuf Ali nationwide literary awareness campaign.

“Its consistency is astute; its gains are high, and its vision, clear. The project has a very high capacity for sustaining the level of literary awareness in the state. We have benefitted twice, and on each of the occasions embarked on activities that opened avenues for our people to realize what lies ahead and how to be part of it,” said Inya.

For Odono, the state stands to benefit ‘to a very large extent,’ even as he pleaded for more support from government to fully realize the goals of the campaign.

“If a single person, Yusuf Ali could provide N3m to the association annually, imagine where the Federal, State and Local Governments can provide N50m, N20 and N2m respectively for the association activities, without politising it.

“I bet you, a lot of transformation will be achieved in the reading, writing and behavioural lives of the people. Wealthy individuals too, especially serving political leaders can come up to assist in this area. “They can call it their constituency project, raise fund for ANA to mentor budding artists, give cash prizes to people that excel and so on. This is preferable to drugging the youths and giving them guns to cause mayhem in the society.

“In our state, Distinguished Senator Chris Nwankwo funded the organisation of training for aspiring creative writers, though not through ANA. The beneficiaries of that training are doing marvellously well in the creative industry today. We need more like him,” he said.

Inya corroborated Odono’s position in wooing the public sector towards the project.

“It must be stated without fear of contradiction that no project, policy or programme in this nation in the dimension of improving the reading culture or increasing literary awareness can be compared with the Yusuf Ali nationwide literary awareness campaign.

“Its consistency is astute; its gains are high, and its vision, clear. The project has a very high capacity for sustaining the level of literary awareness in the state. We have benefitted twice, and on each of the occasions embarked on activities that opened avenues for our people to realize what lies ahead and how to be part of it.

“It cannot be gainsaid that a project of this standing needs partnership with the government of the benefitting states to further take it down to rural areas. We have put plans in place to partner the government of our state in this direction. We as well seek to identify individuals, groups, corporate bodies and organisations that share the ideals and aspirations of the association for the project,” Inya said.

http://oraclenews.ng/stakeholders-reappraise-ebonyis-literary-awareness-level/